Thursday, October 6, 2011

Zendikar: In the Teeth of Akoum - Chapter 3

The day was coming to a close when they reached the encampment known as Greypelt.

"So named because of the Turntimber warthog tents."

Sorin appraised the destroyed tents hugging the end of the mesa. "Since when are warthog skins called 'pelts?'"

(More on this later.)

They walk through the camp full of various trappers until Nissa finds the particular tent she was searching for. She slowly enters into the blackness within, while calling for someone named Khalled. A kooky, old merfolk commands some beetles to be glow after realizing who's come to visit. The lights reveal bookshelves lining every wall of his tent, stuffed with books, scrolls, and all kinds of papers. He tells her that had a dream about an angel that held a tentacled heart in her grasp. He then notices the vial hanging about Nissa's neck and is quite pleased she still has it with her.

(How big is his tent and how can it block light so effectively that opening the flap doesn't automatically let Nissa see her friend as soon as she enters?)

As for her companions, he's not too pleased that Anowon is a vampire, but he's more than thrilled to see the metal cylinders tied to his waist. They're clay text imprinters. Khalled wants to know how a vampire archaeophile such as himself found his way to the Turntimber. Anowon explains and Nissa adds in side of everything. Kalled then tells them that Greypelt itself suffered an attack a few days ago, but while some have fled, he's committed to staying until the Turntimber is fully mapped. And speaking of maps. He might have one for the Teeth of Akoum... if the price is right. Although he does feel compelled to warn them that it's dangerous out there. He's heard news of great hordes out west.

For payment, Sorin pulls out a black ball the size of an acorn from his pocket. Nissa wonders how that can be possible because she's already searched him and found no such thing, but all Khalled sees is a dark power he wants nothing to do with. No, he doesn't want that. All he wants are to make copies of the text imprinters. Khalled calls out for a boy named Raspin to go fetch him some clay from the supply tent and while he's there, to ask Margen about any nearby enemy sightings.

While the boy is away, Nissa explains that she's helping Sorin because he saved her life. Khalled shares his observations about the Eldrazi spawn and says that at times they seems like mindless animals, while at other they seem to be acting with extreme forethought.

"They're like ants," Nissa said. "It's like they talk with their tentacles like ants do with their antennae."

(*facepalm*)

He turns his attentions on Anowon and learns that he was kicked out of the minor Ghet family of vampires, and that he has no idea what's on the imprinters of his, just that he recovered them from the Eye of Ugin.

Raspin returns and begins preparing the clay and copying the imprinters and they on. Nissa says that her only role is to see these two out of her forest, but Sorin says they still have need of her. Anowon is neither a scout nor an effective fighter. Raspin finishes his task and Khalled is quite pleased.

Before they leave, Kalled requests a word with Nissa, and he pulls her to the side. He tells her that there's something terrible coming. He's seen too many messages travel in to camp about attacks all over. Khalled magically creates a image of all of Zendikar, and Nissa watches as tiny black dots are scattered all over the map and constantly grow and spread until the whole map is consumed. He explains to her that there are two types of reactions that can happen with a foreign body enters a territory. There's the simeon plant which is not native to the Turntimber, yet has been adapted to healing and other beneficial purposes Then there's the linnestrop, which is also not native to this forest, and it just grows uncontrollably, choking out life from the native plants to claim this place for it alone. He tells her that he's afraid that this brood is like the linnestrop. He tells her that it's important she help to stop whatever is happening. That she should go and travel with this menagerie to the Eye of Ugin.

(I don't think two people count as a menagerie.)

Nissa looked around the tent and took a deep breath. Where was her tribe now? Either the Joraga or the Tajuru? Where were they to help her with this burden? No, she would not do it for either of her tribes. She would not embark on such trip for the tribe that had cast her out, or the one that hated her. She would make the journey for Zendikar. And for Nissa Revine.

(More on this later.)

She tells Khalled that she'll continue on with them, and the merfolk is glad. But he has one last warning. She should be wary of him. Who you ask? Not the book maker, but the other one. He is also-

No time to finish the sentence. A horn blows warning of danger. It's time to leave... but one last thing! Khalled hands Nissa a new necklace. He tells her it's a pathway stone cut from the Puzzle Tower itself.

* * *

Grey... pelt?

"Since when are warthog skins called 'pelts?'"

Maybe since the word "pelt" was invented? An animal skin is pretty much the definition of the word.

What is Wintermute trying to express here? It's not confusion. I'm pretty sure the comment is supposed to make Sorin Markov come off as witty and cool. It does neither. The same thing applies to all his yawning.

Moment of Clarity

So Nissa has her hero moment where she decides to do the "right thing," not because she feels pressured to, but because she has an internal desire to do what's right for the greater good despite everything treating her horribly-

Wait a second.

Since when was Nissa cast out? I thought she was living among the Tajuru as part of her leadership training? Sure we've gotten talk about some of the Tajuru not appreciating her, but the whole being cast out thing is completely out of the blue.

And That's It!

I actually don't have much else to say about this chapter. That's actually pretty good considering the disaster that was Chatper 2.